Review by Booklist Review
Vivi has always wondered about her Vietnamese heritage, but her mom won't talk to her about why she left the country years ago. Determined to find out about her missing family, Vivi enrolls in a study-abroad program that takes her to Sài Gòn. Lan used to write a food blog about the street food culture of Sài Gòn, but she's lost her passion since her father died and her mother became ill. When the two girls' worlds collide, they help each other piece through their pasts and figure out their futures, all while falling for each other. This is a light and sweet sapphic romance that touches on topics of grief and family trauma. Descriptions of various street foods are wonderful and will leave readers hungry, while the romance is cute but wraps up quickly. A good pick for readers wanting a lighter book with a touch of deeper topics.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Vietnamese teen Phan Ngọc Lan secretly authors popular food blog A Bánh Mì for Two. But when a bad case of writer's block puts her blog on hiatus, she spends time working at her family's bánh mì stall in Sài Gòn. In the U.S., meanwhile, Vietnamese American college student Vivi Huỳnh feels disconnected from her heritage; she is curious about her mother's childhood in Việt Nam, but her mother refuses to talk about her experiences. Inspired by Lan's blog, Vivi travels to Việt Nam as part of a study abroad program, unbeknownst to her parents. After a chance encounter brings Vivi and Lan together, Vivi encourages Lan to submit a piece about Sài Gòn to a prestigious writing competition. As thanks, Lan helps Vivi track down people who can tell her more about her mom. Driven by a shared passion for Sài Gòn, the two embark on numerous adventures, falling for each other in the process. Explorations of identity, generational history, and trauma are tempered by the girls' sweetly developing romance. Vibrant descriptions of Việt Nam and its culture adorn Nguyen's lively debut, a love story ideal for foodies yearning to travel. Ages 14--up. (Aug.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
As they fall in love, two girls in Sài Gòn discover that family and food are connected. Lan, who's from a family of bánh mì sellers, moonlights as the writer for popular Sài Gòn street food blog A Bánh Mì for Two. When an upcoming journalism competition offers a way to bring much-needed income to her family's business, Lan jumps at the opportunity to write her take on the theme of "The Most Beautiful City in the World." But writing no longer feels the same since her dad's recent passing. A chance encounter with Vivi, a Vietnamese American student who's also one of her longtime followers, may be the spark she needs to write again. Vivi was inspired to visit Sài Gòn after reading Lan's blog, but she also yearns to learn more about why her mom, who's reticent on the subject, left Việt Nam (Vivi's father became a refugee at age 3). When she finds hidden photos from her mom's past, Vivi plans a secret trip to Việt Nam with her friend Cindy. Vivi comes to an agreement with Lan: She'll help Lan overcome her writer's block in exchange for help with finding her maternal relatives. Told in alternating perspectives, this book has an enticing premise, but the rushed pacing and lack of details distract from the tenderhearted moments that carry the story. More nuance would have helped with exploring the complexities of queerness, history, and culture within the book's setting. Charming but skims the surface. (Romance. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
